Part 45 (1/2)

”Theyre lying,” Gage yelled, pain cracking his voice and shredding my heart. ”Dont believe him.”

Rusnak pushed me to the door, and when I struggled against going, he hooked his arm around me and dragged me. Terror tore through me. I didnt want to leave Gage, even if I was useless.

I was yelling something. So was Gage, I could see his lips moving. But so was the entire room. Everyone was yelling, a thunderous roar that exploded everything else. I was in flight, body moving, struggling against Rusnak with everything I had. Gage was struggling in the chair they had him in, and it tipped to the side. He landed with a crack, but his lips were still moving, saying something I needed to hear. But then I was pulled around a corner, and he was no longer in my vision. His voice echoed in my head though.

Dont believe him.

Dont say anything.

I love you.

I dont think he actually said I love you, but thats all I kept thinking. Hearing. Its all I wanted to say to him. I love him. I love him. I love him. Hoping my chant evoked something. It felt like the world to me. But it was powerless. Useless.

Rusnak had my arm jerked high behind me, a heat searing through my body from it, but I couldnt feel anything beyond the torture of imagining what was happening to Gage.

He turned us into a side room and closed the door. Only then did I realize Cherry was with us.

”What are you doing?” She had a cigarette in between her lips as she paced the small empty room.

”I cant question them together. Theyll support each others lies. And Ive got to get to the truth.” He tossed me to the floor. ”Stay down,” he warned when I went to move.

His hands smoothly undid his belt, pulling it off in one, quick, threatening movement.

”What the f.u.c.k are you doing then?” Cherry pulled the cigarette from her lip, blowing out hard.

”Getting the truth.” He stepped towards me and looped the belt around my neck.

My hands came up to grip under the strap, to keep it from tightening, and I tried to rise to my feet.

”Tcht, Dont fight this.” He pushed my shoulders, holding me down on my knees. ”I told you, fighting will only make it worse. For you. And for him.” He met my eyes, waiting for me to acknowledge his words.

”Why question her when you know it was her? She was always shady, but after the car accident she flipped. Shes the one with a vendetta out for everyone. Not Gage.”

He didnt look away from me as he lowered down on his heels, still higher than me. ”Im going to find out for myself. And if its true, Im going to find out how far she went.” He turned his focus to Cherry. ”Then Im going to question Gage. Go tell them to expect me soon. This shouldnt take long.” He dropped his gaze over me. ”Oh, and Cherry, tell them not to hurt him, not until I tell them to.”

Rusnak rose to his feet, pulling the belt with him so it tightened around my neck. The smooth leather and buckle bit into my skin and made me gasp, cutting off my air as he pulled tighter.

Cherry lingered at the door a moment then stepped out.

Rusnak slid one hand over my cheek, wiping my tears with the tips of his fingers. His other hand kept a firm, tight grip on the belt.

”See, I made them stop. Theyre not hurting him right now, and youre here, away from them.”

It didnt ease any of my pain, not when I couldnt see for myself, not when it was only if Cherry gave that message. And if they believed her.

He loosened his grip on the strap, dragging his other hand over my cheek and down my neck till he slid them under the clasp, tugging it to give me more s.p.a.ce to breath.

”I always thought your mother would destroy me, back then.” He mumbled as his fingers slid between the leather and my skin, moving around my neck. ”But it was you. You make me break all my rules.” He sighed, dropping his fingers away. ”And you still f.u.c.k me over.” He jerked the belt.

I dropped to my knees in a blinding burst of pain. I would have dropped farther, but the leather leash wouldnt allow it. My hands pressed to the ground to try and get my balance, to hold myself up so I wasnt hanging by the belt. But it was hard to focus without air, my muscles drained, vision turning red.

”Would it stop if I killed you?” He gripped my shoulders, holding me up. His hands were no longer pulling the belt, but it didnt loosen.

I scratched at it till I hooked my finger inside it and pulled, giving me air that I gulped in.

”What did you tell them?”

He didnt stop me, so I kept pulling at the belt till it was no longer looped around my neck. It dropped to the ground behind me.

”I didnt say anything.” I barely made a sound.

His grip tightened on my arms, fire growing in his eyes.

”Anthony wanted information, but I didnt say anything,” I continued.

He jerked me forward and back. ”I know thats a lie. Youre the one that tipped them off about Viktor. Why?”

”I didnt.” My only plan was denial.

He pushed me, dragging me back till I slammed into a wall. ”Im trying to help you. But I cant if you keep lying to me. Do you even know the things Ive done for you?” He dropped my arms and stepped back but pulled out his gun at the same time. ”But you dont care. All you care about is him.” He stretched his arm out, gun directly in my face. ”I should kill you.” He sucked in air. ”Better yet, I should kill him.” He dropped his arm, gun pointing down as he took another step back. ”Ill kill him and then you.”

”I know you killed Shadows men for me,” I blurted it out, doing anything to keep him here instead of carrying out his threat.

He watched me with cat eyes. ”They were never supposed to touch you.”

I read between his words, realization dawning. ”You sent them?”

He looked to the wall like he could see Gage on the other side. ”They were supposed to find him.” He turned back to me, something sparking in his eyes. ”See, I can be honest. Lets play a game. A truth for a truth.” He stepped closer, bringing his gun up under my chin. ”Ill know if youre lying.”

And I could see it in his eyes; he would kill me either way. There was no getting out, and as the realization settled, everything else disappeared and I stopped shaking.

”Who is Shadow?”

He smiled at my question or maybe at the new strength in my voice.

”Thats not the right question. Its what is Shadow?” He raised his eyebrows at me like it should all make sense. ”Its never been a person. My turn, what did you tell the FBI?”

”Nothing.” A crack of the gun to my cheek nearly knocked me over. My head was forced to the side with the arc of the swing, but I managed to stay on my feet and straightened back up.

”Ill start with something easier, what did he ask you about? What information was he after?”

”Shadow. He wanted information on the girls and the trafficking. He said it was international.” I resisted wiping the blood I could feel pooling at my lip. ”What is Shadow?”

Excitement was building in him, his eyes growing bright and breathing shallow. He stepped closer to me, one finger swiping my bottom lip, gathering blood on it. He sucked the tip of his finger into his mouth with a smile. ”Its grown larger than we ever dreamed. And with the connections I made in prison, I was able to merge my business with them. Did the agent say who they thought was responsible?”

”Gage. Then once they arrested Ian they said they caught Shadow.”

His eyes narrowed and he moved suddenly. I braced for impact, but felt nothing. He had both hands pressed against the wall, caging me between them and his body. ”But they didnt. Did you tell them they didnt?”

”Whos in charge?” I ignored his question. It was my turn. ”Who do you answer to in Shadow?”